Steamer.



No. 869,099.. I PATENTED OCT. 22. 1907. j

T. MATTESON.

STEAMBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21,1906.

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UNITED STATES THOMAS MATTESON, OF ARMBRUST, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907'.

Application filed March 21, 1906. Serial No. 307,210.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Mnr'rEsoN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Armbrust, in the county of Westmoreland and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSteamers, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cookingutensils, and the invention relates more particularly to a utensilemployed for steaming vegetables.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel form ofcooking utensil in which vegetables may he steamed, without contactingwith the boiling water contained within the utensil for generating thesteam.

Another object of this invention is to provide a utensil which isparticularly adapted for steaming vegetables, but may be readily usedfor other purposes, by removing a portion of the utensil.

A further object of this invention is to provide a handy and completereceptacle for steaming bread, heating and re-warming cakes, meats andvegetables, and numerous foods that are prepared in a culinarydepartment.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel cookingutensil that may be easily and quickly cleansed, and maintained in aperfect sanitary condition.

Briefly described my improved cooking utensil consists of a receptaclehaving a suitable handle. In the receptacle is detachably mounted apartition which forms the receptacle into two compartments, thelowermost compartment being adapted to contain boiling water, while theuppermost compartment contains the vegetables to be steamed. Thepartition which is detachably mounted within the receptacle is providedwith a central tubular perforated stem into which the steam generated bythe boiling water within the lowermost compartment is adapted to passand contact with the vegetables surrounding the stem.

The detail construction entering into my invention will be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed, and referring to the drawingaccompanying this application, like numerals of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a utensil constructed in accordancewith my invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view.

To put my invention into practice, I construct my improved cookingutensil of a pot-shaped receptacle 1 having cylindrical walls 2. Thereceptacle is provided with a flanged lid 3 having an opening 4 formedtherein, to permit of steam passing out of the receptacle, after it hasserved its purpose. The lid may be provided with a conventional form ofhandle (as shown). The receptacle is provided with a conventional formof handle 5 whereby the receptacle may be easily handled.

The inner sides of the walls 2 of the receptacle are provided with anannular collar or flange 6 which is suitably secured to the walls 2 ofthe receptacle a short distance above the bottom thereof. Resting uponthe annular collar or flange 6 is an imperforate partition 7 whichdivides the receptacles into a lower compartment 8 and an uppercompartment 9. The partition 7 is provided with a central opening 10 andin said opening is mounteda tubular stem 11 having the portion adjacentto the partition imperforate and with perforations 12 formed in theupper portion thereof. The stem is adapted to extend upwardly into thecompartment 9 and convey steam from the lower compartment 8 into theupper compartment 9. The tubular stem 11 being imperforate at the lowerportion or adjacent to the partition, the upwardly flowing steam willnot flow laterally into the material resting upon the partition, butwill be carried upwardly above the partition and not come directly incontact therewith until it reaches the perforation in the tubular stem.By this means the action of the steam is downwardly upon the material,as will be obvious.

In practice the boiling water or the water to be boiled is placed in thelower compartment 8, while the vegetables to be steamed are placedwithin the upper compartment 9 upon the partition 7. As the water boilsand steam is generated, the steam passes upwardly within the stem 11,through the perforations 12 and percolates through the vegetablescontained within the compartment 9. For instance, when rice is beingsteamed, the rice will be thoroughly protected from the water containedwithin the lower compartment 8 while the steam generated by the coolingwater will be thoroughly distributed through the rice, to properly cookthe same. The steam after it has served its purpose within thecompartment 9 passes through the opening 4 of the lid 3 to escape to theatmosphere.

The cooking utensil in its entirety may be constructed of granite,galvanized iron, tin or the like suitable material, and I do not care toconfine myself to the size, shape or minor details of construction, assuch changes as are permissible by the appended claims, may be resortedto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

A steam heater comprising a receptacle, an annular flange secured to theinner face of and below the central horizontal line of said receptacle,a partition removahly mounted upon said flange and abutting against theinner face of the receptacle, said partition provided with acelltrally-disposed opening and further having the remaining portionthereof imperforate, said partition dividing said receptacle into anupper and :1 lower compartment, a verticallyextending tubular memberprojecting in the openin; of said partition and providing means forestablishing communication between the two compartments, said mem herhaving that portion adjacent to the partition imperfm rate and furtherhaving the upper portion thereof provided with a plurality oftransverse]y-extendimg apertures, said tubular member of a length as toterminate approximately 10 midway between the central horizontal lineand the top of said receptacle, a flanged cover mounted upon thereceptacle and provided with an opening and a handle, and a handlesecured to the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

THOMAS MATTESON.

Witnesses WM. C. Hm'rz, E. E. POTTER.

